8 Replies

Mace probably isn't a reference to a chilli: It may be a reference to Mace spray, as used by law enforcement.

Capsaicin is the molecule which gives chillis their spiciness, and by definition a 100% concentration of capsaicin is as hot as you can get. The Ghost chili rates at 1m scoville units under some tests. Pure capsaicin rates 16x as pungent.

HTH!

EDIT: An alternative to Mace called Pepper Spray uses capsaicin as the active ingredient. It's less toxic than the compounds used in Mace, but also less effective (an immunity / tolerance can be developed against pepper spray, and oddly enough tear gas).

I'm guessing the other 2 aren't really peppers. Rather the actual irritant chemical in peppers that causes the burning sensation. Mace probably has a higher concentration than what's in a ghost pepper. And Capsaicin is the chemical itself. Doesn't get more concentrated than that.

Ghost is the hottest pepper listed. Mace is a derivative of peppers (or manufactured chemically) and PC is the chemical used to make mace but "pure" rather than diluted like it is for mace.

Even in pepper sauce circles you can buy pepper sauce hotter than a Ghost pepper - it is just made chemically rather than by crushing peppers. Ghost is just the hottest pepper that you can grow in a garden.